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Sunday, March 12, 2017

Weekending

When March temperatures drop to near single digits and snowflakes fly and remain, there is nothing better to do than cook, and make, and read, and gather. That's what we've done in abundance this weekend. The stove and oven have been constantly buzzing, with everything from pies to playdough. Yogurt thickened, bread rose, soups simmered, pans and crumbs accumulated.

My 10 year old daughter has been really enjoying the Dear America book series from the library, particularly the stories highlighting the plight of various immigrant groups throughout our nation's history. After finishing the fictional story of the Coal Miner's Bride, describing a 13 year old Polish immigrant in 19th century Pennsylvania coal country, she dove right in to making the potato dumpling recipe offered in the book. Yum.

I love it when reading and eating combine, and there has been a lot of both this weekend. I finished J.D. Vance's Hillbilly Elegy last week and am on to Florence Williams's new book, The Nature Fix: Why Nature Makes Us Happier, Healthier, and More Creative. Brian's on to the second book in his latest Sci-Fi series; my 8 year old loves all Minecraft fiction series books; my 6 year old is devouring Mo Willems and adores the Herb Fairies series; and my 3 year old cozies up to whichever big sister or brother will read aloud. And Hidden Pictures--morning, noon, and night.

My oldest two joined me in watching the excellent 2016 documentary, Sustainable, on Netflix this weekend. It's so very well done and leaves me hopeful for the future of regenerative agriculture, nourishing food, and a healthier planet.

Cooking, making, reading, gathering with friends. Such a simple weekend that fills us up in body and spirit.

Here's hoping your weekend has been full of the warmth and goodness of home.

Homemade Play Dough Recipe1 cup white flour1/2 cup salt2 tablespoons cream of tartar (find it in the spice section)1 tablespoon oil1 tablespoon cinnamon1 cup waterMix first 5 ingredients in a pan. Add water and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly for 3 – 5 minutes. Dough will become clumpy. Remove from stove and knead until desired playdough texture is achieved.

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About Me

Kerry McDonald has been deeply involved in education policy and practice for two decades. She has a B.A. in Economics from Bowdoin College and an M.Ed. from Harvard University, where she studied education administration, planning, and social policy. She is co-founder of AlternativesToSchool.com, and a member of the Board of Directors of the Alliance for Self-Directed Education. Kerry is a contributor to Forbes, FEE, Intellectual Takeout, and Natural Mother Magazine. She lives and learns together with her husband and four never-been-schooled children (ages 4 to 11) in Cambridge, Massachusetts. You can email Kerry at kmcdonald@post.harvard.edu and follow her on Twitter @kerry_edu.